Liner



Aug. 30, 1938. o. B. ANDREWS 2,128,450

' LINER Original Filed Nov. 9. 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY Aug. 30,1938. 0. BL ANDREWS 2,128,450

' LINER Original Filed Nov.- 9, 1935 2'Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Oliver,3. flzmrews ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 30, 1938 I LINER Oliver B. Andrews,Chattanooga, Tenn.

Original application November 9, 1935, Serial No.

49,009. Divided and this application November 16, 1936, Serial No.111,062

4 Claims.

I the rough walls of the basket.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a liner formed froma stripof paperboard material having its ends permanently se curedtogether to form an endless wall of sufficient strength to support acolumn of fruit equal to the amount necessary to fill a basket, andhaving a weakened portion or portions which permit the liner to breakand yield outwardly when the basket is shaken or the cover secured tothe basket, or the like. The weakened portions preferably comprise aline or lines of weakening extending longitudinally of the liner but notcontinuous throughout the entire length of the liner.

According to the present invention the weakened portions preferably areso disposed that the liner may break throughout its entire length, butnot continuously, and hence the liner does not completely separate butalways retains its endless nature. The weakened portions preferably areso disposed that the liner breaks along only short lines whereby only asmall area of the basket wall could possibly be in contact with thefruit. In other words, the weakened portions are distributed to permitonly suflic'ient breaking of the liner to relieve the pressure andwithout exposing any substantial area of the fruit to contact with thebasket walls.

An object of this invention is to provide a liner for baskets or othercontainers adapted to contain fruit, vegetables or similar articles,which liner is adapted to break under abnormal pressure onlysufiiciently to relieve such abnormal pressure and. without exposing anysubstantial portion of the fruit to engagement with the basket walls.

Although the novel features which are believed tobe characteristic ofthis invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims appendedhereto, the invention itself, as to its objects and advantages, and themanner in which it may be carried out, may be better understood byreferring to the following description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings forming a part thereof, in which Fig. 1 is a planview of a blank used in forming .a basket liner according to the presentinvention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a completed liner in partially folded,collapsed position;

Fig. 3 is a perspective View of a completed liner in set-up position;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a basket of fruit with cover attachedand liner inserted, a portion of the basket and cover being broken awayto illustrate the liner in position in the basket;

Figs. 5 to 7 are plan views respectively of three different modifiedforms of liners constructed according to the teachings of the presentinvention;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing a cross-section takenlongitudinally along a portion of the line of weakening 3, shown in Fig.1;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 showing a modified form of weakeningarrangement;

Fig. 10 is a View similar to Fig. 8 showing an- I other modified form ofweakening arrangement;

and

Fig. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary view show- I ing a cross-section.taken transversely of still another modified form of weakeningarrangement.

Referring to Fig. 1, a liner blank I is cut from a sheet of paperboardof the desired quality and tensile strength, and is provided with aplurality of spaced breathing apertures 2.

The blank I is provided with one or more lines 3 of perforationsextending from its end edge 6 inwardly, and a line 4 of perforationsextending inwardly from the other end edge I of the blank I. The lines 3and 4 terminate inwardly short of the edges 1 and 6 respectivelyand-preferably centrally of the blank I. Preferably the lines 3 and 4extend at least to the center of the blank and they may overlaplongitudinally; however, in some cases these lines do not extend all theway to the center.

The liner is completed by lapping the side edge ll over the side edgeIlland adhesively securing the edge portions. together, as shown in Fig.2, to form an endless wall or collar structure having the general formof a truncated cone, and constituting the completed liner 9.

If desired, the perforated lines 3 may be diametrically opposite and mayprovide natural fold lines whereby the liner may be collapsed for thepurpose of shipmentor easy handling. However, if desired, the liner 9may be provided with score lines 5 along the lines 3 and 4 and incontinuation thereof to facilitate collapse of F the liner intosubstantially flat condition.

The liner' blank may be cut to shape, or punched to provide theapertures 2, perforated to provide the lines of perforations 3 and 4 andscored for folding purposes automatically on a cutting and scoringmachine in a single operation. Gluing of the side portions l and H ofthe liner blank can also be performed automatically on a suitableautomatic gluer.

The completed. fruit package which is assembled by the well-knowninverted packing method, is illustrated in Fig. 4, and comprises abasket l2 in which the liner 9 is disposed and lies against the walls ofthe basket surrounding the articles of fruit 53, and a cover [4, securedon the basket l2 to retain the fruit therein.

When the basket has been packed in the man 7 ner above described, anyabnormal pressure developed in the body of fruit, owing either tothe--shaking during packing or the pressure developed when the cover isapplied, will cause the liner to break outwardly along one or more ofthe perforated lines 3 and 4, thereby relieving the fruit from thisabnormal pressure.

in the bottom portion of the basket has caused the liner 9 to breakalong the perforated line 4,

and thus causes the adjacent edge portions I? and I8 to separate andexpand outwardly. In a similar manner, the condition is shown whereinthe fruit has caused the upper portion of the liner to breakalong theline 3 and the edge portions l and i5 are separated. It will beunderstood that the liner may breakalong either of lines 5 or 4 or allof them depending upon the pres sure of the fruit. In Fig. 4, thecondition of the liner has been somewhat exaggerated for the sake ofillustration.

Should the liner 9 be too large for the basket E2, the liner 9 willgenerally break along the perforated line 3 or 4 or both, and theportions adjacent the break will overlap to adjust the liner 9 to thesize of the basket l2 and contained fruit 43. The portion beyond theends of the lines 3 and 4 does not break, but constitutes a continuous,unbroken belt which prevents the liner as a whole from separating andspreading.

It should be understood that where the basket and contained fruit areslightly larger than the liner throughout substantially its entirelength, the edges ll, l8, l5 and I6 and the corresponding edges adjacentlines ligand 1 all will expand outwar ly; however, owing to the factthat the continuous belt does not break, the liner will not separateentirely, and thus will prevent the fruit from coming in contact withthe inner wall of the basket throughout any substantial area.

Preferably, in accordance with the present invention, the liner 9 isformed of sufficiently tough material so that the breaking of the liner9 caused by abnormal pressure from within will be localized in andconfined to the predetermined lines ofbreakage 3 and 4, and the liner 9will not break at any other points. Also, the continuous beltis of suchlength that it will not break but will twist and bend to permitadjustment of the fruit within the basket. The material from which theliner is constructed, preferably, is sufficiently pliant and flexible topermit ready adjusting movement of the fruit within the liner to preventbruising or crushing of the fruit. However, the material is ofsuificient stiffness to prevent appreciable curling or fraying of theend edges of the liner, and more particularly fraying and curling of theedgesadjacent the lines of breakage.

The provision of a considerable number of lines of weakening permitstheliner to separate only asmall amount at each-point of abnormal pressure. and thus only a relatively small area of the In Fig. 4 there a isillustrated the condition wherein the fruit l3 fruit can come intodirect contact with the walls of the basket. Thus, the amount ofabrasion of the fruit caused by direct contact between the fruit and thebasket is substantially eliminated or at worst confined to a relativelysmall area and a relatively small number of separate pieces of fruit.

As pointed out above, the unperforated belt portion of the liner betweenthe lines of weakening 3 and 4 and the edges of the liner is of suf-'ficient length and strength to resist breaking =;w hen the lines ofweakening are broken out due to abnormal pressure. In order to insurethat the breakage will be confined to the lines of perforations and thatthe liner will not tear beyond these lines of breakage, short transverselines of perforations may be provided at the interior ends of the linesof weakening.

A construction of this type is shown in Fig. 5, wherein a blank 40 isprovided with the usual ventilating openings 41 and with spaced lines ofperforations 42 and 45, arranged in staggered relation and extendingfrom opposite end edges through a substantial distance along the lengthof the linerand beyond the central circumference. The lines 42 whichextend inwardly fro-m the lowermost end edge (as shown in Fig. 5) may beintersected at its interior end by a short transverse line ofperforations 43. The line or lines 45 intermediate the lines 42 extendinwardly from the opposite end edge, and may be likewise intersected bythe transverse, perforated lines 46. If

desired, score lines 44 and 49 may be provided -in prolongation of linesof perforations 42 and/or 45 to permit bending of the blank along theselines. However, such score lines may not be necessary where the lines ofperforations extend'into the blank a substantial distance, as theperforations provide natural fold lines.

In the construction illustrated in Fig. 6, a

blank 55 is. provided with ventilating openings 5| and an echelon seriesof lines of weakening 52, 54*and 55 spaced at equal intervals across the.blank. The line 52 extends inwardly from one end edge of the blank to apoint approximately centrally of the liner. The line 54 extends from apoint spaced inwardly from one end edge approximately one-quarter thelength of the liner to another point spaced inwardly a distanceapproximately one-quarter the length of the blank from the other endedge of the blank. The third line 55 begins at the end edge of the blankopposite to the edge intersected by the line 52, and terminates midwayof the liner. The perforated {lines 52, 54 and 55.1nay be shorter orlonger than above specified, depending upon the material used, thebasket irregularities and other conditions. If desired, score lines 53and 56 may be providedin prolongation of lines 52 and 55, respectively,to provide fold lines.

It will be understood that it is generally desirable to provide, in theliner blank, spaced apertures or openings distributed substantiallyequally along the liner, for the purpose of permitting circulation ofairthrough the fruit basket. Such openings may be employed in connectionwith the lines of perforations, as illustrated in Fig. '7.

A blank 85 is provided with an arcuate row of ventilating openings 8!spaced from one end edge and a similar row of perforations 82 spacedfrom the other end edge. An echelon series of lines-of weakening'83; 84and 85 may be provided, the lines 83 extending from one end edge to oneof the openings 8i, the line of weakening 84 extending from the adjacentopening 8| to the adjacent openings 82 of the other row of perforations,and the line 85 extending from the next adjacent perforation 82 to thecorresponding end edge of the liner. This pattern of lines of weakeningis repeated to provide echelon series of lines of weakening.

It will be understood that, instead of providing transverse lines ofweakening and Ventilating openings adjacent ends of the lines ofweakening, it is possible to provide reinforcing of the liner at theends of the lines of weakening. Thus, instead of providing additionalweakening of the liner, as has been disclosed above, patches or staplesor analog-ous reinforcing means may be applied to the liner at thecritical points to provide against undesired tearing of the liner.

The lines of weakening in the several forms of liners herein disclosedmay be formed in various ways. For example, it may be constituted bysubstantially rectangular open slot-like perforations 99 extending allthe way through the liner and spaced apart by a wall portion 9| (Fig.8). In Fig. 9 a somewhat stronger construction is illustrated whereinthe line comprises punched or cut indentations 92 which extend onlypartially through the liner and are spaced apart by wall portions 93. InFig. 10 there is illustrated a line of weakening constituted by closelyspaced cone-shaped depressions or indentations 94 extendingsubstantially, but not entirely, through the liner and separated by Wallportions 95. In Fig. 11 the line of weakening is illustrated as formedby a deep, continuous, longitudinally extending groove or score 96 whichcompresses and displaces the material as indicated at 91.

This application is a division of my copending application, Serial No.49,009, filed November 9, 1935.

What is claimed is:

1. A basket liner for packing fruit and the like comprising an endlesswall of sufficient strength to support a column of fruit and havingweakened portions extending inwardly from the top and bottom edgesthereof alternately and at least to the center of the liner, whereby topermit breaking under predetermined excess pressure, each of said linesof weakening extending only partly throughout the height of the collar,whereby the unweakened portion of the liner includes a tortuous,continuous band of sufiicient strength to confine said breaking to saidlines of weakening, and permitting expansion of said lines at both topand bottom Without complete severing of the liner.

2. A basket liner for packing fruit comprising an endless wall ofsufficient strength to support a column of fruit and having staggeredoverlapping lines of weakening permitting said liner to break uponpredetermined excess pressure, certain of said lines of weakeningextending inwardly from the top and bottom edges respectively of saidliner, said lines together extending throughout substantially the heightof said liner, said liner being of sufiicient strength to confine saidbreakage to said staggered lines of weakening, whereby the liner iscapable of substantial expansion throughout substantially its entireheight without complete severing of the liner.

3. A basket liner for packing fruit and the like including a collarhaving sufiicient strength to support a column of fruit and having aplurality of score lines permitting said collar to be folded, saidcollar having lines of weakness extending partially along said foldlines and an additional line of weakness intermediate said fold linesand the ends of the liner, said lines of weakness permitting said linerto break upon predetermined excess pressure but said liner being formedof material of suificient strength to confine said breakage to saidlines of weakness.

4. A basket liner for packing fruit including an endless collar of sheetmaterial having sufficient strength to support a column of fruit andhaving spaced lines of weakening extending inwardly from opposite endedges of said liner and terminating intermediate the end edges of saidliner, said liner having also a line of weakness intermediate said firstnamed lines and terminating inwardly short of both of said end edges.

OLIVER B. ANDREWS.

